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Better ^ Ik r r > t-H e, M 1 

VlJoodLs , 

Gem of Courage: 


BARBARA AND BENA. 

BY 


MRS. MADELINE LESLIE. 


“ Be courageous.” — 2 Sam. 13 : 28. 


BOSTON: 


GRAVES AND ELLIS 
20 COENHILL. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, 
By A. R. BAKER, D.D., 

in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 


J. D. Flagg & Co. 

51 Water and 57 Congress Sts. 
Boston. 



blcUcI 4UtS/ 


<4 


LIST 

OF 

SPARKLING GEMS 

FOR YOUTH. 


SERIES FOR GIRLS. 

+ 0 + — 

VOL. I. GEM OF COURTESY. 

“ II. GEM OF COURAGE. 

« III. CEM OF FAITHFULNESS. 
“ IV. GEM OF NEATNESS. 

« V. GEM OF TRUTHFULNESS. 
« VI; GEM OF EARNESTNESS. 


LIST 


OF 

PARKLING GEM 

FOR YOUTH. 


SERIES FOR BOYS. 

♦O* 

Vol. I. GEM OF UPRIGHTNESS. 

i / 

“ II. GEM OF SELF-DENIAL. 

“ III. GEM OF PERSEVERANCE. 
“ IV. GEM OF TEMPERANCE. 

“ V. GEM OF SELF-CONTROL. 

“ VI. GEM OF GENEROSITY. 



DEDICA TION 


-*<>♦ 


MT DEAR LITTLE HARRY t 

I HAVE DEDICATED THESE SMALL VOLUMES TO YOU, 

PRAYING THAT THE GEMS OF WHICH THEY TREAT, MAY 

% 

ADORN YOUR CROWN IN THE CORONATION DAY OF CHRIST’S 
BELOVED. 

Your affectionate grandmother, 


The Author, 


PREFACE 


The author of these volumes recently attended the 
commencement of a seminary, in which sparkling 
crowns were placed on the heads of such of the gradu- 
ates as had been distinguished for diligence, faithful- 
ness, neatness and other virtues. Being very much 
pleased with the design, I have appropriated the idea 
in these small volumes. 

On the illuminated title page, the teacher and pupils 
appear. He holds up to their view a sparkling gem, 

just taken from his cabinet. We may imagine him 

♦ 

explaining to them, that these precious stones are used 
in the Bible as emblems of the different graces which 
adorn the character of Christians, even as God says : 
these graces “ shall be as the stones of a crown,” put 
upon their heads. 


CONTENTS 


»o» 

CHAPTER I. 

Page. 

The Beije Berries, 11 

CHAPTER II. 

The Irresolute Girl, 18 

CHAPTER III. 

Kinds op Courage, 26 

CHAPTER IY. 

An Illustration, 33 

CHAPTER V. 

Bena’s Confession, 40 

CHAPTER YI. 

Bena's Prater, 48 

CHAPTER VII. 

The Lost Penknife, 66 

9 


X 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

The Thief, 66 

CHAPTER IX. 

Unjust Suspicion, 74 

CHAPTER X. 

The Real Thief, 82 

CHAPTER XI. 

Trial of Courage, 89 

CHAPTER XII. 

Reward of Courage, 96 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


CHAPTER I. 

THE BLUEBERRIES. 

“ Bena ! Bena Randolph ! Stop a 
minute, I want to tell you something/’ 
shouted a young girl, out of breath 
with running. 

Bena stopped reluctantly, thinking 
of her mother’s last words : 

“ Hurry home, my dear, as soon as 
school is done.” 

Barbara speedily overtook her, 
when Bena quickened her steps again. 

“ Don’t go so fast ; I’m all out of 
breath,” cried her companion. 


12 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


“ I must, I want to get home.” 

“ What for ? Has your cousin 
come ? ” 

“ No, not yet.’’ 

“Well, I’m going down to Silas 
Jones' marsh this afternoon. There's 
oceans of high blueberries there. 
Our man found them when he drove 
the cows to pasture. I wouldn't tell 
any of the girls, 'cause they’d all go ; 
and we shouldn’t have any. You 
come to our house right after dinner ; 
and we’ll pick a lot.” 

“I’m afraid I can’t. I’d like to 
ever so much ; but — ” 

Now, it would have been very easy 
for Bena to have said, frankly : 

“ Mother is going to the maternal 
meeting ; and she wants me to stay at 
home with grandma ; ” but she knew, 


THE BLUEBERRIES. 


13 


or she suspected, that Barbara would 
say: 

“ 6 Fudge on the maternal meeting/ 
or some such expression, so she 
wouldn’t give that excuse.” 

“ Isn’t it wet in the marsh ? ” she 
asked. 

“Not very; I shall wear rubber- 
boots, though.” 

“ I don’t believe I can go.” 

“Yes, you can, just as well as not. 
If mother says no, at first, she always 
gives me leave when I’ve teased her 
enough.” 

“ I’m sure mother will say I can’t. 
She’s going away herself.” 

“ That’ll be all the better for you. 
When she’s off, run away. She’ll for- 
give you when she sees a whole basket 
full of berries.” 


14 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


“ Oh, Barbara ! ” 

“ Come, say quick. If you’re such 
a fool as to refuse I’ll ask Sarah Brad- 
ley ; but I won’t speak to you again 
for a month.” 

Bena’s face flushed. “ 1 wish,” she 
said, in a timid, undecided tone, 66 1 
wish I could go, but — ” 

“ Bena Randolph, you’re the most 
provoking girl, I ever saw. Why 
couldn’t you say no, right out at first ; 
and then I could have got somebody 
else. Now the girls have all gone 
home. Catch me ever asking you 
again ! ” and off she ran in great 
anger .without saying good bye. 

u Oh, dear ! ” sighed Bena, hurrying 
on towards home, “ now she’s as mad 
as she can be. She’ll tell the girls 
awful stories about me. I wish I’d 


THE BLUEBERRIES. 


15 


pretended not to hear her when she 
called. I guess if I did run away 
I’d never be forgiven, if I got a cart 
full of berries. I mean mother 
wouldn’t forgive me any quicker for 
berries. She’d say : 

“‘Yes, my child, I freely forgive 
you,’ just as quick as I asked her. I 
suppose, if mother kne w what kind of 
a girl Barbara is, she wouldn’t like 
me to go with her ; but I hate to tell 
tales of the girls. 

By the time Bena reached home 
her face had grown very sober. She 
was naturally timid ; and she dreaded 
the effects of Barbara’s tongue. 

Mrs. Randolph was putting dinner 
on the table, and the first dish that 
Bena noticed was a fat pudding, thickly 
sprinkled with blueberries. 


16 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


“ You can’t guess where my berries 
came from/’ said the lady laughing as 
she saw her daughter’s eyes rest on 
the dish. 

“ Did a boy bring them along ? ” 

“ No, your cousin Alfred has been 
here. He was passing through Silas 
Jones’ swamp, and he saw them. He 
didn’t know they were ripe. He 
threw his gun into the wagon, and 
picked all the ripe ones. He gave 
me three quarts, and he carried four 
home. He said his mother would 
laugh to see his birds that he went for, 
turned into blueberries.” 

“ I hope you made a sauce, mother.” 

Mrs. Randolph laughed as she lifted 
the cover of a small tureen and dis- 
played the rich foam. 

“ You had good success with your 


THE BLUEBERRIES. 


17 


pudding,” said grandma. “It’s as 
light as a feather.” 

“ It’s the best berry pudding I ever 
ate,” exclaimed Bena, passing her 
plate for the second piece. 

“I’m going right off after dinner,” 
said Mrs. Randolph ; “ I want to make 
two or three calls before I go into the 
meeting. You can wash the dishes 
and clear up. Put everything in 
place and let me see how nicely you 
can make the kitchen look ” 


2 


18 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


CHAPTER II. 

THE IRRESOLUTE GIRL. 

■ 

When Bena went to school the 
next morning, Barbara was talking 
earnestly with two or three of the 
girls. When they saw her coming, 
they stopped . abruptly and walked 
away, so that she only heard one of 
her companions say : 

“ How mean ! Just like her ! ” 

For several days her classmates 
neglected her. If she spoke to them 
they answered in monosyllables. Of 
course this made her very unhappy. 
She studied hard, and tried to forget 
her trouble ; and her teacher praised 


THE IRRESOLUTE GIRL. 19 


her more than once or twice for her 
diligence. « 

At last her mother noticed that she 
was out of spirits. 

Bena was the youngest of a large 
family, and the only one left at home. 
Her father’s mother lived with them ; 
and they were now expecting a cou- 
sin to spend some months. Mr. Ran- 
dolph had gone to the city on busi- 
ness; and when he returned, Miss 
Henrietta Randolph would come with 
him. 

This young lady was a teacher in 
an academy, and was glad to pass 
her long vacation on her uncle’s farm, 
and among the friends she loved so 
dearly. 

“ What’s the matter with Rubina,” 
asked grandma one day, when the 


20 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


little girl ; with her satchel on her 
arm, had bid her good morning, and 
gone to school. 

Grandma always gave Bena her 
full name ; and now she added : 

“ I’m afraid the child isn’t well. I 
haven’t heard her sing for a week.” 

“ I’ve noticed her sober looks,” an- 
swered Mrs. Randolph. “ Sometimes 
I think her living with people so 
much older than she is, has something 
to do with her being so quiet. If she 
isn’t better after Henrietta comes, 
we must do something for her.” 

“ I wonder what I’ve done to make 
all the girls act so,” sighed Bena a 
day or two after, as she walked slowly 
home. “ I heard Barbara say to 
Sarah Bradley : ” 

“ ‘ I do like a girl that’s one thing 


THE IRRESOLUTE GIRL. 21 


or another ; ’ and then she looked at 
me as angry as could be." 

When she came in sight of home, 
she saw her father shutting the door 
to the carriage-house, and with a joy- 
ful cry : 

“ They've come ! they've come ! " 
she sprang forward to welcome the 
travellers. 

The sight of her cousin for a few 
hours drove all Bena's sadness away ; 
but when they went up to the neat 
chamber they were to occupy to- 
gether, Henrietta noticed that the 
child sighed often. 

“ It's early yet," she said, “ and 
the moon shines so brightly we can 
dispense with the lamp. Come and 
sit by me, and tell me what makes 
you sad." 


22 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


“ Oh, cousin, I would like that very 
much ! I want to talk to somebody ; 
you can tell me what I ought to do.” 

She then repeated the circumstan- 
ces I have related. 

“ I don’t see what I did that made 
her so angry,” she added, with an- 
other sigh, “ do you ? ” 

Instead of answering this question, 
Henrietta leaned forward, and kissed 
her tenderly. Presently she asked : 

“ Do you recollect, sweet coz, the 
visit aunt Matilda and her little boy 
made you a year ago ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed ; and how naughty 
I was one day. Oscar teazed and 
teazed me to get out my best china 
set ; and at last I disobeyed mother. 
I didn’t like to have him think me 
mean, you know.” 


THE IRRESOLUTE GIRL. 23 


“ Shall I tell you how you might 
have saved all the trouble ? ” 

“ Yes , please/’ 

“I happened to be in the next 
room and I heard all that passed be- 
tween you and Oscar ; and I longed 
to tell you then to be decided. 

“ If you had spoken courageously : 
‘No, Oscar, I can’t do it because 
mother has forbidden me/ he would 
have seen that no teazing would be 
of use ; but your manner encouraged 
him all the time to believe you would 
yield at last. 

“ Now if you had spoken decided- 
ly to Barbara when she first asked 
you to go with her : 

“ ‘ No, I can’t go, because mother 
needs me this afternoon/ she would 
have invited some other friend ; and 


24 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


I think she would not have been 
angry. 

“ But Barbara don’t go to Sunday 
school. Her father is an infidel ; and 
she would have made all manner of 
fun of the maternal meeting which 
is held weekly.” 

“ Then, my dear coz, I would quiet- 
ly drop her acquaintance.” 

“ I can’t. She sits in the same seat 
with me at school. She’s real nice 
in some things. She always used to 
give me some of her lunch, though I 
told her I had enough, and she brings 
me beautiful boquets.” 

“ No matter for that when she 
makes fun of your religion. But we 
won’t talk about Barbara now ; I 
want to talk about you. I wish to 
explain to you about courage, and 


THE IRRESOLUTE GIRL. 25 


make you see into how much trouble 
the want of it leads you.” 

“ I thought little girls didn’t need 
courage, as much as boys.” 

“ There are two kinds of courage, 
my dear, one is called natural courage, 
and the other moral courage. I will 
try and make you understand the 
difference.” 


26 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


CHAPTER III. 

■KINDS OF COURAGE. 

u In a farm-yard there was once a 
brood of five chickens, nicely housed 
in a barrel turned on the side with a 
door of lathes in front. The hen 
mother with her head and neck 
stretched out between the lathes, 
watched the pretty little downy crea- 
tures as they ran here and there, cry- 
ing, ‘ peep ! peep ! ’ and picking up 
the soft dough that had been spread 
on a board for their food. When Mrs. 
Biddy thought they were wandering 
too far away from their, home she 
called out : 


KINDS OF COURAGE. 


27 


“ c m Cluck ! cluck ! cluck ! ’ and the 
tiny feet came scampering toward the 
barrel, tumbling over each other in 
their haste to get safe under their 
mamma’s wing.”. 

“ One day the sky was very blue, 
and the sun shone down upon the 
farm yard, making the little chicks 
feel very lively.” 

“ ‘ How I would like to take my 
brood out for a walk,’ said Mrs. Biddy 
to herself. It’s tiresome staying 
cooped up in a barrel from morning 
till night. I could go down on the 
ploughed ground and find plenty of 
worms and grubs. I am fairly sick of 
seeing that old farmer shovel, shovel, 
from the cellar to his wagon all day 
long.’ 

“ So she pushed as hard as she 


28 


GEM OF COUKAGE. 


could against the lathes ; but with her 
utmost strength she could only loosen 
one or two of them. 

“ ‘ Sho ! sho ! easy there ! easy ! ’ 
said the good-natured farmer. 4 Tired 
o’ being cooped up, hey ? Best for 
you, old biddy/ 

“ Just at this moment, high up 
above the farm yard there was a little 
speck in the air. It grew larger 
every moment, and presently Mrs. 
Biddy, turning her eyes up to the 
heavens, caught a glimpse of it. 

Every feather on her body bristled 
up in a minute. 

“ ‘ Cluck ! cluck ! cluck ! ’ she called 
in such a loud, frightened tone that 
her little ones scarcely knew her voice, 
and ran here and there in wild con- 
fusion. 


KINDS OF COUKAGE. 


29 


“ ‘ Cluck ! cluck ! cluck ! ’ shrieked 
the poor mother, and then she tried 
to break through again. 

“ This time the loosened lathes gave 
way and running out of the barrel, she 
scrabbled the chicks behind her and 
prepared to give fight, to the enemy. 
For close at hand, sailing in the air 
directly over the coop, was a large, 
hungry hawk, ready to pounce upon 
her little ones and carry them off to 
his nest. 

“ You would scarcely have known 
poor Biddy, she was so furious, with 
her feathers sticking out on every 
side and her loud cries for help. 

“The good farmer had seen the 
danger, too ; and while Mrs. Biddy 
was getting ready to defend her chicks 
with her life, if necessary, he went 


30 


GEM OF COUKAGE. 


into the harness-room and took down a 
loaded gun. Just as the hawk was 
within a few feet of the barrel there 
was a loud bang ! and the great bird 
fell dead among the lumps of dough. 

“ ‘ Ha ! ha ! ha ! ’ laughed the 
farmer, taking up the hawk by the 
legs. c There, biddy, you did your 
part well. You did not mean to give 
up your chicks without a fight, did 
you? You see you’re safer in the 
farm yard than you would be meander- 
ing off in the fields.’ 

“ Then the man brought a hammer 
and nailed up the lathes again, and 
Mrs. Biddy went willingly into the 
barrel, and put her babies to sleep 
under her wings.” 

“ T^at is a very pretty story, cousin 
Henrietta. I’ve seen our hens stand 


KINDS OF COURAGE. 


31 


up and scream many a time when a 
cat or dog went near her nest. Her 
beak is very sharp, too. That is what 
she fights with.” 

“ What kind of courage did that 
mother hen show, Bena ? ” 

“ Why that was natural for her to 
do. I suppose it was natural cour- 
age" 

“ Yes ; but aren’t you tired ? I 
just heard the church clock strike 
nine." 

“ Oh, no, indeed ; not a bit tired. I 
do love to have you talk to me, you 
make everything so plain. I suppose 
Felina, my great maltese cat, showed 
natural courage when she hissed, and 
spit, and scratched so to defend her 
kittens from a strange dog. She had 
one eye almost put out ; but she 


32 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


wouldn’t give up till the dog went off 
with his tail between his legs. I had 
to bathe her eye ever so long.” 

“ Almost every kind of animal will 
defend their young from danger. 
God gave them this instinct; and it is 
beautiful to see how courageously they 
do it. entirely forgetful of themselves. 

“ Look, Bena, did you ever see 
prettier pictures than the moon is 
making through the leaves on the 
floor ? Watch how they change when 
the breeze moves the branches of the 
tree. I love dearly to sit in the moon- 
light.” 

“ I like it ever so much. Can’t you 
talk a little more ? ” 


AN ILLUSTRATION. 


33 


CHAPTER IV. 

AN ILLUSTRATION. 

“ There was once a little girl ” 
said Henrietta, smiling to herself, 
“ who had a babe committed to her 
care for a few hours. It was a wee, 
helpless babe ; and the child, whom I 
will call Ida, though that is not her 
real name, received a great many 
charges to be very careful of her.” 

“This she readily promised; and 
then she took the baby out in a small 
wagon, down the road a short distance 
where every one thought there was 
no danger.” 

“ When she was out of sight of the 

3 


34 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


house, Ida saw a great dust in the 
street before her ; and soon she found 
herself in the midst of a herd of cat- 
tle. If she had been alone she would 
not have been afraid, for she had been 
accustomed to cows and horses all her 
life.” 

“ Oh, Henrietta ! ” said Bena softly. 

“ Wait, my dear, I haven’t finished 
my story. The little girl was afraid 
some of the cattle would run against 
the baby wagon and upset it. She 
glanced around to see whether there 
was a chance of getting out of the 
way ; but there was not. 

“ All at once she heard a loud voice 
cry out : 

“‘Jump the wall, child! jump 
quick ! Leave the wagon. Get out 
of the way.’ ” 


AN ILLUSTRATION. 


35 


“•No, he said. ‘ Your cloak! your 
red cloak ! It frightens the creatures. 
Get out of the way.’ But I didn’t 
know what he meant; and I wouldn’t 
leave the baby for anything.” 

“ Well now, Bena, that you have 
found out who the little girl was, you 
may tell the rest.” 

“ Oh, it was awful ! It makes my 
heart beat to think of it. I saw a 
monstrous creature come at us with 
his horns down, bellowing and snort- 
ing. I thought we should be killed ; 
but I wouldn’t leave baby, though I 
could have jumped the wall in a min- 
ute. I caught baby out of the wagon, 
and hugged her up as tight as I could ; 
and then I said to myself, ‘ we’ll die 
together.’ That’s all I remember.” 

“ One of the drivers caught the bull 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


36 . 

by the horns when he was within a 
few feet of yon. It was your red 
cloak, the man said, that made the 
creature furious. Another driver 
took you in his arms, put the baby 
in the wagon, and brought you home. 
He said he never saw such a coura- 
geous child in his life. He said most 
children would only have thought of 
saving themselves. 

“ Now I want you to tell me what 
kind of courage that w T as : Natural 
or moral ? ” 

Bena reflected a moment, and then 
said : 

“ I should think it was moral.” 

“No, my dear, that was natural 
courage, like the hen defending her 
chicks. It is a trait that every one 
admires; and, as you say, one that 


AN ILLUSTRATION. 


37 


we expect in a boy, more than in a 
girl. But a child may have a great 
deal of natural courage without hav- 
ing the love of God in his heart. A 
boy may, from a noble instinct, jump 
into a river to save the life of a com- 
panion, as that brave boy whom we 
read about in the papers last week, 
even at the risk of his own life ; but 
he may do this without a thought of 
God or of duty. This is natural 
courage.” 

“ I know,” said Bena, “ that I never 
thought of it being right, I only 
thought that baby would be killed if 
I didn’t take care of her ; but what 
is moral courage ? ” 

u I will give you an example of 
moral courage. A sweet little girl 
who has now gone to heaven, was at- 


38 


GEM OF COUBAGE. 


tending a boarding school, and was 
obliged to occupy a bed in a large 
room where a dozen girls slept. She 
knew that many of them never 
prayed ; she feared they would laugh 
at her and make fun of her religion ; 
her heart beat most painfully at the 
thought of kneeling before so many ; 
but she had promised her dying 
mother that she would never go to 
rest without asking her heavenly 
Father to take care of her. So she 
knelt by her bed, hid her face in her 
hands, and asked Jesus her elder 
brother, to help her do right.” 

“ Oh I couldn't ! I wouldn't dare ! ” 
exclaimed Bena, under her breath. 
“ What did the girls do ? " 

“That was moral courage, Bena. 
God gave the dear child strength to 


AN ILLUSTRATION. 


39 


face all the ridicule and opposition of 
her thoughtless companions. Some 
of them shouted, and laughed, and 
called her a little Methodist, till the 
teacher hearing the noise, went to her 
room.” 

One little girl, whose mother long 
before had taught her to pray, but 
who had forgotten it, hid her face in 
the bed clothes, and sobbed. She 
afterwards became a fast friend to the 
praying child ; and they loved each 
other till the little one I have told 
you about, went to heaven.” 


40 


GEM OF COUKAGE. 


CHAPTER Y. 
bena’s confession. 

“ Now, Bena, you have proved that 
you have natural courage • and I want 
you to cultivate moral courage. ‘ Dare 
to do right ’ is a good motto for girls 
and boys ; and here is another : ‘ The 
fear of man bringeth a snare, but 
whoso putteth his trust in the Lord 
shall be safe/ Remember that verse 
the next time any of your companions 
ask you to do what you know to be 
wrong. Now we must really prepare 
for bed. As we have blown out the 
light, shall we repeat the twenty- 
third psalm ? I think you know it.” 


beta’s confession. 


41 


“ Does it begin : ‘ The Lord is my 
shepherd ; I shall not want ? ’ I know 
every word of that ; and then can’t 
we sing a verse ? ” 

They repeated the psalm in concert, 
and sang the beautiful words : 


“ Softly, now the light of day, 

Fades upon my sight away; 

Free from care, from labor free, 

Let me, Lord, commune with thee.” 

After the singing, they knelt side 
by side, while Henrietta commended 
their . souls and bodies to the care of 
the good Shepherd of Israel. 

For a long time Bena had not felt 
so quiet and peaceful. She thought 
of the little girl who had not been 
afraid to pray in the presence of her 
thoughtless companions; and she asked 


42 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


God to deliver her from the fear of 
man, which indeed had been a snare 
to her. Then with her cousin’s hand 
tightly clasped in hers, she fell sweetly 
asleep. 

When Bena awoke the sun was 
shining in all the windows ; and cou- 
sin Henrietta was looking out upon 
the green fields, while her fingers 
were skilfully braiding her long hair. 

Instantly Bena’s thoughts flew back 
to the talk of the night before ; and 
she said earnestly : 

“ You forgot to tell me what to do 
about Barbara.” 

Henrietta smiled. “ Well,” she said, 
u I don’t see as you can do anything, 
at present. She will be tired of being 
cross bye and bye ; and then you can 
show her that you are ready to forgive 


V 





x 







































































% 

























BEN A. PRAYING FOR BARBARA 


beta’s confession. 


43 


her. But really I think you had 
better not be intimate with a girl who 
has no principle. ,, 

“When she’s pleasant she’s real 
pleasant/’ exclaimed Bena, her face 
all aglow ; “ and then I want to do 
her good if I can.” 

The last words were said softly, 
and a modest blush spread all over 
the child’s face. 

“ The best thing is to pray for 
her,” said Henrietta seriously. “ Can 
you do that with all your heart ? ” 

“I have prayed twice,” was the 
murmured response. “ I prayed too, 
that I mightn’t feel angry any more.” 

“That is right, dear. Now give 
me a morning kiss, for I’m going 
down to help aunt Mary about 
breakfast.” 


44 GEM OF COURAGE. 

For several days there was no 
opportunity for another good talk in 
the moonlight. Company called every 
evening to see Henrietta ; and Bena 
was obliged to go to bed alone. 

At last there came a quiet hour 
when the little girl could “ have her 
cousin to herself/' as she said, laugh- 
ing. 

“How does Barbara conduct her- 
self now?” inquired the young lady. 

“I've ever so much to tell you 
about her,” exclaimed Bena. “And 
about myself, too.” 

“Well, begin,” said Henrietta, let- 
ting fall the heavy braids which had 
been wound around her head like a 
crown. “ Begin, and I’ll be ready to 
sit down directly.” 

“You know you told me to pray 


bena’s confession. 


45 


for Barbara. I had prayed before; 
but after that I prayed harder ; and 
then I began to think God would 
make her a good girl. She likes to 
read stories ; and I lent her that one 
you like so well, about ‘ Tim the 
Scissors Grinder;’ and how he 
wanted everybody to be as happy as 
he was.” 

“ The next day she brought me a 
bouquet, a beautiful one of pinks and 
roses and mignionette, and she 
seemed just as she used to.” 

“At recess we walked away to- 
gether, arm in arm, which made the 
girls laugh, and shout 'after us. I 
had something to say to her ; and I 
didn’t want any of the others to 
hear. 

“ Now, cousin Henrietta, something 


46 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


real queer happened. I don’t know 
how it came about. I meant to talk 
to her about herself, and ask her to 
begin to read the Bible and pray; 
but when we got out under the shade 
of the great rock, I thought how 
foolish it was for me to ask her that, 
when I was such a poor weak thing 
myself, who didn’t dare to say no , up 
and down, to what I knew to be 
wrong. So I just told her all about 
it, what a bad heart I have ; and how 
I was trying to overcome my faults ; 
and then I told her how I loved her ; 
and how much easier it would be for 
me to be good, if she would help me, 
because she was naturally so much 
more decided than I. 

“ Before I knew it, the tears were 
streaming down my cheeks, and Bar- 


bena’s confession. 


47 


bara bid her face from me and cried 
too. 

“ Only think, cousin, she’s been 
trying to pray, too; and she says 
she was real miserable all the time 
she was treating me so. She said she 
sat up half the night reading ‘ Tim/ 
and she’d give all the world, if she 
could feel as he did. 

“ Oh, I’m so happy ! I wanted to 
tell you right away. To-day we went 
to the rock again ; and I told her all 
you said about two kinds of courage. 
I think Barbara has both.” 


48 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


CHAPTER VI. 

bena’s prayer. 

By the time Bena had reached this 
part of her story, her cousin had 
taken off her dress, and slipped on a 
loose wrapper, for the night was very 
warm. 

“ I am delighted/’ she said, “ to 
hear all this. I think I shall like 
Barbara almost as well as you do. ,; 

She says it’s harder for her to be 
good than it is for me, because she 
has no one to help her. She says her 
father would be very angry if he 
knew how she had beguri to pray ; but 
her mother would only make fun of 


bena’s prayer. 


49 


her. I thought a great deal about it 
as I came home, and it seemed to me 
that God was very kind to give me 
Christian friends, for I have so little 
courage, — moral courage, you know, 
while she is so brave. I think she 
will have a great deal.” 

“ Let me see ; to-morrow is Satur- 
day. We must contrive to have 
Barbara here to tea. Perhaps I can 
help her in her new resolutions.” 

“ Oh, that would be nice ! I’ll ask 
mother now.” 

“ No, to-morrow will be in season, 
my dear. Pass the Bible from the 
table ; and we will read together.” 

Unfortunately for Bena’s plan, the 
next morning at the breakfast table, 
Mrs. Randolph announced her inten- 
tion of accompanying her husband to 
4 


50 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


the city, and spending the day with 
her sister residing there. The visit 
from Barbara was, therefore, post- 
poned for a week. 

On Sunday evening, there was a 
violent thunder-shower which pre- 
vented the family from going to 
church. Mr. Randolph had a fine 
tenor voice ; and his wife sung alto ; 
Henrietta and Bena carried the treble. 
After prayers an hour was pleasantly 
and profitably passed in singing de- 
votional hymns and chants, each one 
making a selection in turn. It was 
still early when the books were put 
away; and Bena begged her cousin 
to go to their chamber for a good talk. 

Henrietta, ever ready to gratify her 
friends, cheerfully consented. “ W ell,’ ’ 
she commenced, smiling, “ here I am, 


bena’s prayer. 


51 


ready to enter on any subject. What 
shall it be ? ” 

“ Oh, cousin ! ” exclaimed the little 
girl. “ I’ve been thinking ever so 
much about Barbara. I do so wish 
she were a pious child. She’s just the 
right kind of a girl to make a real 
earnest Christian. If you knew her, 
you’d say so. I couldn’t help wonder- 
ing about her while we were in church. 
You wouldn’t arch your eyebrows so 
at that, coz, if you knew how really I 
want her to be good. Wouldn’t it be 
nice to have a little prayer-meeting 
for her to-night ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed, my precious child ; ” 
and the young lady drew Bena to her 
and imprinted a kiss on her cheek. 

“ Shall we kneel now ? Will you 
ask God to help her love Jesus? ” 


52 


GEM OF COUKAGE. 


That was a sight upon which angels 
might love to look. Side by side they 
knelt, their arms interlaced, while 
from full hearts they poured out their 
desires before God, for the conversion 
of a companion. 

“Dear Father,” plead Henrietta, 
“ Open her eyes to the beauty of her 
Saviour’s character. May she draw 
near to thee, not as a God of terror, 
but as a God of love, who desires that 
all his children may accept of the 
mediation of his son Jesus Christ, and 
be happy forever. Give her courage 
to announce boldy to those around 
her a new resolve, the resolve to seek 
Jesus and serve him with all her 
heart.” 

“ Dear God,” whispered an earnest 
voice, when the young lady’s prayer 


bena’s prayer. 


53 


was ended, “ please do everything for 
Barbara that my cousin has asked in 
her prayer, and give poor, weak, trem- 
bling me courage to do everything 
that I ought, for Jesus’ sake, Amen.” 

“ Henrietta,” questioned Bena after 
a few moments’ silence. “ Is it wicked 
for me to wish to be somebody else ? 
I don’t like myself at all.” 

“ Who, for instance, would you be 
like!” 

The child hesitated. “ Why — I 
mean— Now, cousin, you know how 
very silly and afraid I am. I would 
like to be real courageous in doing 
good ; and if Barbara was a Christian 
I think she would be ; so I should love 
to be like her. She dislikes mean 
girls, and the other day she saw one 
of the older scholars taking more than 


54 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


half the lunch from one of the little 
ones. I saw it too, and was as indig- 
nant as she was ; but I didn’t dare to 
say a word. Barbara spoke right 
out : 

“ ‘ Aren’t you ashamed, Matilda 
Jones. If you want somebody’s lunch, 
take mine ; or ask one of your own 
age to share with you, and not bully 
one of the little tots out of her cake, 
and when it’s her dinner, too ; and you 
go home for yours.’ I would have 
given anything to have a child look 
at me as gratefully as little Lucy did 
at her. Oh, I wish I weren’t so 
foolish! ” 

“ Half the trouble is over, Bena, 
when you are aware of your fault. 
Ask your heavenly Father to help 
you conquer it ; and he will certainly 


bena’s prayer. 


55 


answer your prayer. Do you remem- 
ber my brother Frank ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed. Why, he stayed 
here over night on his way to college 
only last summer. It was just after 
you had gone back to your school.” 

“ Oh, yes ! Well, Frank had a friend 
in school a few years ago, whom he 
loved very much. He told me a 
great deal about Arthur Blackley until 
I felt a deep interest in him. 

“ Won’t you please to tell me, 
coz? ” 

“ I’ll tell you one incident that oc- 
curred while they were together, be- 
cause it illustrates this very subject 
of moral courage and truthfulness. 
You can judge for yourself whether 
Arthur possessed these traits when I 
have related the story.” 


56 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


CHAPTER VII. 

THE LOST PENKNIFE. 

“ Arthur Blackley was left an 
orphan at an early age ; but as he 
had an unconquerable desire to ac- 
quire an education, his uncle sent 
him to school nine months of the 
year, the lad working hard in his 
armory the other three, which were 
the summer vacation. His great am- 
bition was to be a teacher. Even in 
his first year he used to help the boys 
who w T ere younger and more ignorant 
than himself. 

“ On one occasion the principal of 
the school, whose name was Adams, 


THE LOST PENKNIFE. 


57 


overheard him explaining some rule 
in arithmetic to a little group of 
youngsters who had been sent to their 
seat in disgrace because they didn’t 
know their lesson. He was so pa- 
tient in going over the explanation 
again and again, till they all under- 
stood him ; and so clear in his manner 
of telling them, that Mr. Adams never 
forgot it. After this he often request- 
ed Blackley to teach the younger class. 
At last Arthur summoned courage to 
tell his master his circumstances, and 
asked advice about his future course. 

“ Mr. Adams was greatly .interested, 
and gave the young student encour- 
agement to go on with his studies, 
promising if he did well to befriend 
him. He even suggested that there 
might be a place as usher in his own 


58 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


school by the time Arthur had gradu- 
ated. 

“ The two friends, Frank and 
Arthur, were in their last term before 
graduation, when the incident oc- 
curred which I shall relate. 

“ There was at that time a lad in the 
junior class named Oscar Edgerton, to 
wdiom the master had taken a great 
dislike on account of a ludicrous cari- 
cature of himself which he discovered 
on the boy’s slate. 

“ Oscar was only fourteen years of 
age ; but he was a great, overgrown 
fellow who stood almost six feet, and 
was as clumsy, and awkward and 
indolent, as any specimen of a boy 
you could find. But in spite of 
this Oscar had not been in school 
three months before he was an im- 


THE LOST PENKNIFE. 


59 


mense favorite with everybody but 
the master. From the first usher 
down to the colored shoe-black, all 
liked Oscar, and hailed his appear- 
ance with a laugh. Indeed, Frank 
said he was so thoroughly good-tem- 
pered and obliging, so running over 
with fun, no one could help it. If 
any of the scholars were in trouble, 
Oscar was the first with his * sym- 
pathy; and if money was needed, 
his purse, with all it contained, was 
at their service. 

“If the master had only known 
the circumstances connected with the 
making of the caricature, he might 
have felt differently, especially if he 
could have seen the great blue eyes, 
dimmed with penitent tears, as Oscar 
clumsily erased the picture. 


60 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


u 6 I wish I’d been in the Fejee 
islands, before I did such a thing/ he 
said to one of his companions. ‘I’m 
provoked with myself, and deserve a 
horsewhipping ; that I do.’ 

“ But Mr. Adams knew nothing of 
this ; and as he had taken great 
pains to befriend the boy, coming as 
an entire stranger to the school, he 
considered him ungrateful and dis- 
respectful in the extreme. 

“ Oscar was well aware of the mas- 
ter’s dislike, and it made him more 
shy and awkward in his presence. 
He could never act himself ; and if 
he tried to say anything to please, he 
expressed himself so clumsily that he 
only increased Mr. Adams’ want of 
confidence in him. 

“It happened one day that the 


THE LOST PENKNIFE. 


61 


Principal broke the blade of a favor- 
ite knife, and expressed his regret 
in the hearing of Oscar, who in- 
stantly resolved to spend a greenback, 
just received from home, in the pur- 
chase of a new one to take its place. 
He consulted Frank on the subject 
under a solemn pledge of secresy, for 
he did not wish to be known as the 
giver. 

“ A few days later Mr. Adams, on 
opening his desk, found a neat box 
addressed to himself, which, on un- 
sealing, contained a beautiful pearl- 
handled knife with four blades. On 
a card within the box were merely 
these words : 

“ FROM A GRATEFUL PUPIL TO HIS 
RESPECTED TEACHER.” 


62 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


“This was in Frank’s penman- 
ship, written with great reluctance, 
and with an effo'rt to disguise his 
usual hand, after having in vain beg- 
ged Oscar to write it himself. 

“ Just before the close of the school 
the teacher said he wished to thank 
one of his pupils who had in such a 
delicate manner made him a gift of 
a knife, holding it up to view, while 
his eyes were fixed full on Frank’s, 
as if to say, ‘ I am well aware to 
what pupil I am indebted.’ 

“If he had happened to glance 
in the direction of Oscar’s desk, he 
would have seen the boy with his 
mouth puckered for a whistle, his 
face as red as a blaze, and with an 
air of profound indifference to the 
whole proceeding. But he did not 


THE LOST PENKNIFE. 


63 


look that way, and Frank’s conscious 
blushes made the master sure he was 
the giver. 

“ Frank instantly went to Oscar, 
and told him he must be released 
from his promise, for he would not 
continue in the false position in which 
he was placed ; but Oscar would only 
consent on condition that the master 
thanked Frank in private, or said- 
anything to prove that he ascribed 
the gift to him. 

“ 6 In that case, then,’ urged Frank, 

‘ I shall tell him the whole story.’ 

“A day or two later, Frank re- 
ceived a summons from me to come 
home to mother’s sick bed, and was 
absent for nearly two weeks, by 
which time she was considered out of 
danger. 


64 


GEM OF COUKAGE. 


' “ In the meanwhile, the knife 
mysteriously disappeared from its 
box in the master's desk, and unfor- 
tunately for all concerned, the master 
when announcing the fact to the 
school caught a glimpse of Oscar, 
whose face from pure astonishment, 
looked the very picture of guilt. 

Ci Mr. Adams was a good man ; but 
like many other good men, he had 
faults, one of which was a stub- 
bornness of opinion which it required 
a great deal of evidence to change. 
He instantly made up his mind that 
Oscar was the thief, and that he 
should be punished severely for the 
offense. 

“ The next day he told the scholars 
that he would give them till night to 
confess the crime, for it was certain 


THE LOST PENKNIFE. 


65 


that the knife had been taken by one 
of the school. 

“ If no one confessed it, then a reg- 
ular trial would take place ; and the 
thief should fc>6 expelled from the 
school. 

“ As the master said this in a loud 
voice, striking the desk violently, to 
emphasize his words, he fixed his 
gaze on Oscar with such severity 
that all present knew whom he 
suspected.” 

5 


66 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

THE THIEF. 

“ The moment the morning school 
was dismissed, the boys gathered in 
groups, eagerly discussing the affair. 

“ ‘ I do wonder/ said one little fel- 
low, ‘ whether the thief will confess 
it.” 

“ ‘ I wouldn’t dare to confess/ said 
Willie Adams in a low voice. ‘ It 
would take too much courage for me.’ 

“ Arthur stood near, and going be- 
hind Willie, said softly : 

“ ‘ I know who took the knife ; and 
I advise him to confess at once.’ 

“ Willie was silent, and grew very 


THE THIEF 


67 


pale, while the boy near by exclaimed 
in an excited tone : 

“ ‘ Arthur knows who the thief is. 
He says so. Oh, I would not be the 
guilty one for the world ! ’ 

66 Arthur quickly retired to his cham- 
ber. He was very angry with him- 
self for saying that he knew. You 
must remember that he was just about 
to graduate ; and he had received 
great encouragement *to hope that 
Mr. Adams would give him the place 
of third usher which was vacant. 
Then he could go on with his studies 
during his leisure hours, and with 
strict economy be able perhaps in a few 
years to enter college. 

“ He, in common with the others, 
knew that Mr. Adams suspected 
Oscar. He knew well how thor- 


68 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


oughly the master disliked this boy ; 
and he felt sure the gentleman would 
eagerly seize any good excuse to ex- 
pel him. 

“ As he rapidly paced his small cham- 
ber, his brows knit into a deep frown, 
he said aloud : 

“ ‘ What a fool I was to meddle 
with it ! Mr. Adams will hear of my 
speech in less than an hour. At the 
trial I shall % summoned to testify. 
If I tell the truth I shall lose all 
chance of the place I’ve been working 
for these three years. If I do not — 
I mean if I refuse to give my evi- 
dence, Oscar will no doubt be con- 
demned, for he will never justify him- 
self, and I shall appear to coincide 
with Mr. Adams in regard to his 
guilt.’ 


THE THIEF. 


69 


u Arthur had long before this con- 
secrated himself, soul and body to 
Christ ; and he did not for a moment 
intend to be guilty of falsehood ; but 
he grew exceedingly pale and faint 
as he contemplated the result. He 
struck his hands together as he ex- 
claimed : 

“ c Too bad ! When I was almost 
sure of succeeding and becoming in- 
dependent of my uncle. I should 
have spent my summer vacation here ; 
and how much I could have studied. 
Now, if I tell all, I must go into the 
world to seek my living, without one 
farthing in my pocket.’ 

•“ The bell rang for dinner ; but 
Arthur was too much absorbed to 
hear it. Gracious promises from the 
good Spirit had been suggested to 


70 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


his mind : ( Fear not, be of good 

courage, I will be with thee.' ‘ Be 
courageous, I will not leave thee, 
saith the Lord.’ ‘ Commit thy ways 
unto the Lord and he will direct thy 
steps/ 

“ One of his class in passing his 
door gave a loud rap, and then opened 
it to see whether Arthur had gone 
down. He saw him standing in the 
centre of the floor, his face colorless ; 
but with a light in his eye which 
spoke of peace within. 

“ ‘ What is it, Blackley ? Are you 
ill ? ’ eagerly inquired his compan- 
ion. ‘ Come, or we shall be late/ 

“ The boys were already seated 
when they entered the dining-hall; 
and Mr. Adams was about to say 
grace. 


THE THIEF. 


71 


“ There was little talk during the 
meal, for the frowning, severe face at 
the head of the table forbade the 
usual flow of conversation. 

“ Immediately after the dinner the 
boys crowded around Arthur, urging 
him to tell what he should testify at 
the trial. 

“ 6 You will know soon enough/ 
was all he would say. His mind was 
all in a tumult again ; and he longed 
to be by himself where he could hear 
once more the comforting words of 
his Father in heaven. In the noise 
and confusion of the school-room, he 
could hear nothing that cheered him. 

“ At last the bell rang for the after- 
noon session. Arthur was slowly 
walking through the hall to his place, 
when he saw Willie Adams hurrying 


72 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


stealthily through the back door to 
his mother’s sitting-room. 

“ At the risk of being late Arthur 
resolved to make one more appeal to 
the boy. The thought suddenly oc- 
curred that there might be a way of 
escape for him from his dilemma. 

“ ‘ Willie, Willie ! ’ he called. 

“ The boy stopped, hesitated, and 
then ran toward Arthur, clutching his 
hand nervously and gazing in his face 
in a most piteous manner. 

“ ‘ Poor child ! ’ said Arthur much 
affected. ‘ You had better confess.’ 

“ ‘ I can’t ; I don’t dare ! ’ whispered 
the child, glancing behind him. 

“ ‘ Would you have your father ex- 
pel another boy for a crime you com- 
mitted, Willie? Could you ever be 
happy after that ? ’ 


THE THIEF. 


73 


“ c I don’t believe Oscar would care. 
He’s such a big boy. I’m awful sorry; 
but I daresn’t confess.’ 

“ ‘ What have you done with the 
knife ? ’ 

“ 6 Hush ! somebody will hear you. 
I’ve thrown it away.’ 

“ Without another word the boy 
ran off; and Arthur returned to the 
school-room, sadly disappointed. 

“ Mr. Adams will insist on my tes- 
timony ; and when I tell him that his 
only son, his pet Willie, is the thief, 
he will never forgive me. These 
were the thoughts that caused such a 
gloom to spread all over his face.” 


74 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


CHAPTER IX. 

UNJUST SUSPICION. 

“ A few recitations were hurried 
through; and then the bell struck for 
the school to be called to order. 

“ c You may put aside your books/ 
said Mr. Adams in a stern voice. ‘ We 
have business of far more importance 
than study. A criminal is among our 
number, a hardened one I fear, for 
he cannot be induced to confess his 
crime.’ 

“ With a shudder Arthur glanced 
toward Willie’s seat. It was almost 
a relief to see that*it was vacant. 

“ ‘ You have all heard the proverb/ 


UNJUST SUSPICION. 


75 


continued Mr. Adams, that one black 
sheep corrupts the flock. This is so 
in a school. The influence for evil 
that one vile, hardened sinner may 
exert on his companions is incalcula- 
ble. I am resolved to clear my flock 
of such an influence. I shall call 
upon every scholar in turn to walk to 
the desk and answer the questions I 
may put to him. , 

“ They walked out in regular order, 
beginning with the youngest. When 
it came Willie’s turn, his father dis- 
covered that his seat was vacant, and 
sent for him. 

“ The messenger returned with a 
reply from his mother that Willie had 
a violent headache, and was trying 
to sleep. Unless it was very neces- 
sary she asked to have him excused. 


76 


GEM OF COUKAGE. 


“ To every one the same questions 
were proposed. 

66 c Do you know anything about 
the knife or the boy who took it ? ’ 
The answer of all was the same. 

“ ‘ No, sir, I know nothing.’ When 
Oscar answered this, the master’s face 
flushed with anger, as he exclaimed, 
* I will talk more with you.’ 

“ Arthur was in the highest row. 
His seat and Frank’s vacant one were 
the last. When Arthur’s name was 
called, every boy turned to look at 
him, walking down the aisle. He 
met Oscar’s blue eye fixed upon him, 
and was impressed with the dignity 
which the awkward boy had sudden- 
ly assumed. 

“ When the question was put to him, 
‘ Do you know anything about the 


UNJUST SUSPICION. 


77 


knife, or the boy who took it ? ’ there 
was a breathless silence. 

“ ‘ Yes, I know who took the knife 
from the box in your desk/ 

“ 6 What do you know ? ’ 

“ 6 I know that he is not a hardened 
lad. It was a sudden, childish im- 
pulse, which he has regretted ever 
since/ 

e: c Why has he not confessed his 
regret to me ? ’ asked Mr. Adams, in 
so stern a voice that it made the lit- 
tle ones tremble. ‘ To me, the owner 
of the knife, the teacher of this 
school ? There is not one here who 
is ignorant that I attached particular 
value to the .gift as a token of affec- 
tion from a grateful pupil ; but the 
loss is nothing when compared to the 
sad knowledge that we have a thief 


78 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


in our midst. Must we go about with 
keys in our pockets ? Must we carry 
with us, wherever we go, a convic- 
tion that nothing we have is safe ? 
No, Mr. Blackley, I cannot admit 
your plea that it was a childish im- 
pulse, instantly regretted. The crime 
must and shall be punished. I de- 
mand the name of the thief/ 

“ For a minute Arthur turned so 
pale that it seemed as though he 
would faint. Not a sound disturbed 
the stillness as he approached a step 
or two nearer the desk and said in a 
low but firm voice : 

“ 6 I decline, sir, to give the name 
in this public manner. I still believe 
the offender has suffered so much that 
he will never offend again/ 

“ Mr. Adams was fearfully angry. 


UNJUST SUSPICION. 


79 


He noticed that Oscar bore himself 
very erect ; and he thought there 
was an air of triumph in his calm 
face. He brought his hand down on 
his desk with great force as he ex- 
claimed in a raised voice : 

“ ‘ I command you, Arthur Black- 
ley, to speak or forfeit my approba- 
tion forever/ 

u Arthur drew nearer still and said 
a few words in his ear, then turned 
proudly and walked back to his seat : 

“ Mr. Adams wrote a card with 
these words : 

“ ‘ In my study, half an hour after 
the close of the school/ 

About twenty minutes were given 
to an address, pointing out the sin of 
yielding to temptations ; and then the 
order was given to break up. 


80 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


“ Arthur shook off his companions 
who crowded around him, and was 
walking away when he saw Oscar 
standing awkwardly by himself, the 
object of suspicion to many. He 
turned, placed his arm in Oscar’s and 
went away with him, to the un- 
bounded surprise of every one. 

u ‘l mean to go home/ said the 
youth, ‘I can’t bear it any longer. If 
Frank were only here.’ 

. “‘I know,’ said Blackley, 6 that 
you did not take the knife. Only 
be patient, and every one will know 
it soon. It is hard to be suspected 
of crime ; but not half so hard as 
to be guilty of it. You may stay 
in my room till I return from Mr. 
Adams’ study, where I am going pres- 
ently ; but you must be quiet/ 


UNJUST SUSPICION. 


81 


“ Oscar . tumbled into a chair and 
scarcely breathed, while Arthur walk- 
ed back and forth trying to brace 
himself for the dreaded interview, and 
the destruction of all his hopes. 

“‘I have forfeited his favor for- 
ever/ he repeated to himself ; ‘ but I 
think I have done right. If so, I have 
still the favor of God.’ Then he 
offered a silent prayer for courage 
and strength to do his duty to his 
master, to Oscar, to Willie. 

“ It was now time to meet his ap- 
pointment. He turned to Oscar, say- 
ing : 

“ ‘ Stay here/ and left the room.” 


6 


82 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


CHAPTER X. 

THE REAL THIEF. 

“ Never had Arthur’s teacher met 
him with so angry a countenance. 
Mr. Adams motioned him to a seat, 
saying in a reserved tone : 

“ ‘ I am waiting to hear what ex- 
cuse you have to offer for direct dis- 
obedience to my command, a line of 
conduct I certainly did not expect 
from you.’ 

“ Arthur rose from his seat and 
stood directly in front of the gentle- 
man. In a voice trembling with sup- 
pressed feeling, he said : 

“ 6 When you know all, sir, you will 


THE REAL THIEF. 


83 


understand why it was impossible for 
me to tell you the name of the boy 
who took the knife. I cannot even 
here, tell you what I saw without the 
deepest pain, and I implore you to 
treat him leniently. I believe it is 
his first crime.’ 

“ c I have said that he should be ex- 
pelled, and I shall keep my word. Jus- 
tice to my other scholars demands 
this. I may here say that I am not 
wholly surprised, at this new develop- 
ment in the character of Oscar. He,—’’ 

“ ( You are mistaken, Mr. Adams, 
in thinking Oscar the thief. He is a 
boy of firm principles, far above such 
a crime/ 

“ 6 1 have every reason for suspect- 
ing him ; but if not he, who is it ? ’ 
Mr. Adams was angry again. 


84 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


“ 6 If he were my own brother/ fal- 
tered Arthur, dropping on his knees ; 

‘ I could scarcely feel more pain than 
•I do now, in telling you it was Willie, 
your own son/ 

“ The blow struck, the father sank 
forward, his arm and head dropping 
on the table, as if paralyzed; his 
mouth and eyes wide open, his face 
the hue of death. 

“ ‘ It was under circumstances/ 
Arthur began ; but Mr. Adams feebly 
waved his hand, saying : 

ac Not now ; call his mother/ 

Arthur was hastily leaving the 
room when he heard his teacher mur- 
mur the words : 

“ 6 God forgive me. My poor Wil- 
lie ! ’ 

“ Nothing more was seen of the 



“GOD FORGIVE ME, MY 


POOR WILLIE!’ 
































THE REAL THIEF. 


85 


Principal till the next morning. He 
walked into the hall leading Willie 
by the hand ; the boy’s face swollen 
with weeping. 

“ 6 Before we ask God's blessing/ 
said the teacher, trying in vain to 
clear his voice, my poor boy has a 
confession to make.' He then sat 
down, and Willie, amid tears and 
sobs, confessed that he stole the knife 
from his father’s desk. 

“ ‘ You remember, boys, what I 
told you yesterday/ continued Mr. 
Adams. ‘ You remember, too, what 
was urged by Mr. Blackley of the 
sorrow of the guilty child. I believe 
Willie has deeply repented of his 
crime, and has asked the forgiveness 
of his Father in heaven, as well as of 
his father on earth. It is for you to 


86 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


say, now, whether he shall still be a 
member of the school. 

“ e Let him stay.’ ‘ Please forgive 
him ; ’ * I’m sure he’ll never do so 
again ; ’ cried out one and another 
of the scholars. 

“ Mr. Adams bowed gratefully to 
the school, then called one of the 
ushers to read the chapter in course. 

“ The early train after breakfast 
carried Frank back to his studies, 
where he no sooner heard what had 
passed, than he asked Oscar to his 
room, and after a short interview, 
went to Mr. Adams’ study, just as a 
boy brought Arthur a note from the 
teacher. 

“ It contained these words : 

“ 6 A young man who has courage 
to do right in the face of the destruc- 


THE REAL THIEF. 


87 


tion of all his wishes, is the man I 
need. You are hereby appointed to 
fill the place of usher now vacant, 
and your salary will commence from 
this date.’ 

“ Scarcely half an hour later, Oscar 
came rushing to Arthur’s room in 
great excitement, and throwing him- 
self into a chair, burst out crying like 
a great baby. 

“ ‘ I shall never get over it, never. 
He’s too good. Only think of his 
asking my forgiveness. Oh, its too 
much ! I’ll be the best boy after 
this, that ever came to the school. 
I’ll never forget it, never. 

“ Frank arrived just in time to ex- 
plain to Mr. Adams that it was Oscar’s 
affection which prompted the gift ; 
and he also explained many things in 


88 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


Oscar’s character, proving to the 
teacher that he had wholly misunder- 
stood him. After this there was not 
one in the school more devoted to his 
teacher than Oscar, or more appreci- 
ative of a good scholar in the rough, 
awkward boy, than Mr. Adams.” 


TEIAL OF COURAGE. 


89 


CHAPTER XI. 

TRIAL OF COURAGE. 

Beha was so intensely interested in 
her cousin’s story, that she quite for- 
got her promise to her mother not to 
he up late. When she heard steps 
on the stairs, her first impulse was to 
jump into bed with her clothes on, 
and leave her mother to infer that 
she had kept her word. But she sud- 
denly stopped short, and then ran out 
into the entry, saying : 

“ Oh, mother, Henrietta was talk- 
ing so beautifully, I forgot all about 
my promise. Will you forgive me ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed,” answered the lady, 


90 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


smiling as she kissed her daughter. 

“ But how happens it that you came 
to tell me. I should have gone to 
my room supposing you were quietly 
sleeping.” 

Bena held down her head for a 
minute, and then said in a humble 
voice : 

“I’m trying to be a better girl, 
mother. For one minute, I thought 
of getting into bed quick ; but I said v 
to myself : 6 That will be deceiving/ 
So as I have resolved to be coura- 
geous, I came out to tell you.” 

“ You have given me more pleas- 
ure, Bena, than I can tell you,” said 
the lady softly. “ Only be brave to 
do what your conscience tells you is 
right, and you will be all that I wish.” 

Barbara was much pleased with her 


TRIAL OF COURAGE. 


91 


invitation for the next Saturday, and 
readily obtained permission from her 
mother to accept it. During the 
week she appeared very serious, as 
though she were revolving some great 
question in her mind, as indeed she 
was. 

Henrietta happened to be at the 
door when Barbara arrived at about 
three o’clock on Saturday afternoon, 
and was much pleased with her ap- 
pearance. She was larger and taller 
than Bena, though only a month or 
two older. Instead of looking bold, 
as the young lady had expected, 
there was an air of humility about 
her wdiich was very pleasing. 

After an hour, Bena invited her guest 
into the chamber where her cousin sat 
embroidering a pair of slippers. 


92 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


“ Now, Henrietta/’ said the young 
girl, “ I hope you’re not very busy, for 
we want to have a nice talk.” 

When Barbara was seated near the 
window where she could smell the 
flowers, from the strip of garden 
underneath, the young lady drew 
from the stranger all her late unhappy 
feelings. After reading of Tim’s con- 
version/she began to long to be like 
him. She could say from the heart 
his simple prayer ; “ I am a sinful 
child ; but I want to be holy. Help 
me to love thee, and serve thee with 
all my heart.” 

But she added with a burst of tears, 
“ My parents are not like Bena’s ; 
and I have no one at home to help 
me be good. My father is very kind. 
He would give me anything I asked 


TRIAL OF COURAGE. 


93 


for, if he had money enough ; but I 
know he won’t let me be a Christian.” 

Henrietta turned to the sixth chap- 
ter of Ephesians, and read : “ Chil- 
dren, obey your parents in the Lord.” 

She explained that this meant that 
just as far as the parents’ commands 
are consistent with God’s revealed 
will, they must be obeyed. 

“ Now, Barbara, God says to you : 
‘ Give me thine heart.’ He says : 
‘ Remember now thy Creator in the 
days of thy youth.’ Christ com- 
mands : ‘ Come unto me all ye that 
labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
give you rest.’ If any father or 
mother says you shall not keep these 
commands, who shall be obeyed, God 
or man ? ” 

u I want to go to Sunday school,” 


94 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


said Barbara, avoiding the first ques- 
tion ; “ but I dread to ask father. I 
know how angry he would be.” 

“ My dear Barbara, Christ our el- 
der brother knew just how you would 
be situated; hear what he says to 
you.” She opened the Bible and 
read : 

“Fear not them which kill the 
body, but are not able to kill the 
soul : but rather fear him which is 
able to destroy both soul and body 
in hell.” 

“ If they saw me going out, they 
wouldn’t think of the Sabbath school. 
I might manage that way,” suggested 
Barbara. 

“ But, my dear child, if you are 
determined to set out in the path to 
heaven, the sooner you tell them the 


TRIAL OF COURAGE. 


95 


better ; and the sooner you can hope 
that your prayers for them will be 
answered.’’ 

“ Oh, if I could see my father a 
good man ! ” exclaimed Barbara, clasp- 
ing her hands, “ I wouldn’t care what 
became of me. I will try to tell him 
to-night ; but I’m afraid.” 

"I will answer you, Barbara, in 
Christ’s words to St. Paul, ‘Be not 
afraid, but speak and hold not thy 
peace. For I am with thee.’ ” 

Bena seized her companion’s hand, 
and held it tightly in her own. She 
kept saying to herself: 

“ Oh, if it were poor, timid me, 
what would I do ? ” 


96 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


CHAPTER XII. 

REWARD OF COURAGE. 

The next morning as Henrietta 
and her cousin were going to Sunday 
school, Barbara joined them. Her 
eyes were red ; but her face was calm 
and decided. She said nothing until 
they had walked some distance, then 
she turned abruptly to Henrietta and 
said : 

“ He gave me leave to go to-day ; 
but he said it must be the last time. 
‘ Sunday,’ he said, ‘ is my only leisure 
day ; and I won’t have you take up 
notions that will interfere with your 
keeping it as I please.’ 


REWARD OF COURAGE. 97 


u I told him I would do any- 
thing for him that God would let me. 
I said I loved him and mother since 
I began to pray better than I ever 
did ; but I must obey God. 

“ ‘ You must obey me, Barbara/ he 
answered, and his voice was very 
angry.” . 

“ Don’t worry/’ whispered Bena, as 
Barbara’s tears began to flow again. 
“ You see God has helped you so far. 
I think it was real nice that he let 
you go to-day.” 

Henrietta had taken a class for the 
summer, and she invited the young 
girl to join it ; and through the whole 
lesson she tried to say what would 
help and comfort poor Barbara. . 

As they went home they passed a 
high bank, on the top of which grew 

7 


98 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


a weed called life-everlasting. Bar- 
bara climbed up with some difficulty, 
and picked a large bunch. 

“ Father likes to smell of it,” she 
explained. 

When they parted, Henrietta and 
Bena promised to pray for her every 
day. 

Back of Mr. Windsor’s house there 
was a fine, smooth lawn, with croquet 
wickets upon it. After dinner during 
which the young girl was as affection- 
ate as possible, Mr. Windsor said : 

“ Come, Barbara, there is just time 
before the sun gets round on the 
lawn for a game of croquet.” 

She stared at him a moment, blush- 
ing crimson ; but he took no notice. 
Almost every Sunday through the 
summer she had played with him ; 


REWARD OF COURAGE. 


99 


but then she did not feel as she did 
now. 

He went to the closet, took out 
two mallets and two balls, and going 
down the steps, called out again : 

“ Come, what are you waiting for? ” 
She rushed after him, caught his 
arm, and exclaimed : 

“ Oh father, please excuse me ! I 
I can’t play to-day. It’s Sunday.” 

u And why can’t you play on Sun- 
day as you always have I should 
like to know ? ” he asked, his eyes 
flashing. 

“ Because it would be wicked. God 
says : ( Remember the Sabbath day, 
to keep it holy.’ ” 

Mr. Windsor threw off his daugh- 
ter’s arm, and said sternly : 

“ And the same book says : 6 Honor 


100 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


thy father and thy mother.’ I com- 
mand you to take the mallet; and 
let me hear no more of such non- 
sense. This is what I get by letting 
you go to church this morning.” 

He held the mallet out to her ; but 
she did not take it. 

She said softly, “ I can’t, father ; I 
can’t disobey God.” 

He raised his hand to strike her, 
but restrained himself, and said an- 
grily: 

“ Go to your room, and don’t let 
me see you again to-day.” 

“ What a silly girl you are ! ” said her 
mother, following her and pulling the 
handkerchief from her eyes. “ If you 
didn’t want to play croquet why 
didn’t you tell him you’d rather sing, 
or turn him off some way. 


REWARD OF COURAGE. 101 


Barbara cried till her head ached 
terribly ; and her father in the study 
where he had shut himself, did not 
feel much better. He couldn’t under- 
stand what the child had got into her 
head ; but he would soon cure her of 
disobeying him. 

After a cup of sage tea which her 
mother carried to her room, the poor 
child felt better, and began to read 
in her Testament. Then she kneeled 
by her bed, and told her Father in 
heaven all her trials. With tears 
running down her cheeks, she be- 
sought God to touch the hearts of 
her father and mother, and make 
them willing she should act as her 
conscience approved. 

During the week Mr. Windsor 
watched his daughter. He saw that 


102 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


she was more obedient and affection- 
ate than ever. She clung to him, 
ran to meet him as he returned from 
his office, and did everything in her 
power to show that she loved him. 
He could not help confessing to him- 
self that there was a great improve- 
ment in her character. 

One morning he heard Barbara 
confessing to her mother her sorrow 
that she had forgotten something she 
had been told to do. 

“ You’re a heedless girl,” said the 
lady angrily. 

“ I’m very sorry, mother, I do 
mean to try and improve.” 

The next Sunday Barbara dressed 
for church and was going out when 
her father stopped her. 

“ Didn’t I tell you a week ago, that 


REWARD OF COURAGE. 103 


Sunday must be the last time ? ” he 
asked. 

“ Please let me go, father.” 

“Will you play croquet with me 
this afternoon ? ” 

“ Oh, father ! I’ll play every other 
day ! ” Then thinking what her moth- 
er had said, she exclaimed : 

“I’ll sing, I know some beautiful 
new tunes. Please let me go.” 

“ Go then ; but if you choose to 
disobey me, you must never come 
back.” 

She looked in his face a moment, 
started for the door, rushed toward 
him, threw her arms around his neck, 
and with a passionate burst of tears, 
exclaimed : 

“ I love you, father ; but I must go 
where I can learn to be good. Then 


104 


GEM OF COURAGE. 


she went down the steps crying as 
though her heart would break. 

When she came out of church, not 
knowing where she should go, she 
found her father waiting for her. 

“I did it to try you,” he said. 
“ If you are so anxious to go, you 
may; but I can’t understand it.” 

In the afternoon, instead of play- 
ing croquet on the lawn, she read to 
him the book about 66 Tim the Scis- 
sors Grinder,” which had so deeply 
impressed her own mind. 

“ Dear father,” she exclaimed in a 
coaxing manner, winding her arms 
around his neck. “ Wasn’t he almost 
the happiest man you ever knew ? 
If you would only let me go to church 
and Sunday school ; and oh, if you 
and mother would go with me, I 


REWARD OF COURAGE. 105 


should be as happy as he was. Won’t 
you, dear papa ? 99 

“ I can’t understand it he said, 
as though speaking to -himself. 

But Barbara had begun to hope 
for herself, and she wanted those 
dearest to her to enter into her joy. 
She began to pray earnestly for them, 
and at length was rejoiced to know 
that her prayers had been answered. 

On the morning of the day when 
Mr. Windsor with his wife and daugh- 
ter were to make a public profession 
of their faith in Christ, he said to his 
daughter : 

u I thank God who gave you cour- 
age to leave your home for conscience’ 
sake. I shall never forget the pang 
that darted through my heart when 
you went down the steps weeping as 


106 GEM OF COURAGE. 


though your heart would break, and 
yet with these words : 

“ ‘ I love you, father ; but I must 
go where I can learn to be good.’ 

“It was your bravery in standing 
up for what you considered right, 
which first led me to think seriously 
of my own ways, and finally brought 
me to Christ.” 












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